Get inspired in your own work by exploring these award-winning programs and successes. You can access all the details from this page here.
Call for Entries
Is your team’s work worthy of recognition?
You’ve amazed and astonished your members with creatively conceived and brilliantly executed programs, products or services. Now it’s time to extend your recognition to the national stage where the CSAE community is ready to laud and applaud you. Stand up and be recognized! Enter your project, initiative, partnership, promotion or campaign in the Awards of Distinction and allow us to celebrate your excellence!
The Awards of Distinction: A Celebration of Excellence
- The focus is on the five competency domains of the Certified Association Executive (CAE ®) program — a long-term goal for all association professionals.
- There’s a chance to celebrate the excellent leadership, structure and governance of your association; and/or the planning and execution of internal, external and integrated programs that serve your members and/or engage external stakeholders and volunteers.
- There are additional and expanded categories.
- All entries will be judged against a standard of established criteria vs. against each other. This means there can be multiple winners in any category.
- Associations or projects with small budgets are not judged against large associations or budgets. Every entry has an equal chance to be recognized with a CSAE Award of Distinction.
Eligibility
Programs/projects that demonstrated successful results between January 2021 and the day of submission are eligible. If a long-term strategy was developed prior to January 2021 but a major milestone or measurement took place during the eligibility period, it is eligible for entry. The organization submitting must have at least one current CSAE member on staff.
Categories
The categories focus on the five competency areas of the Competencies for Association Executives and the Certified Association Executive (CAE®) program. This means there’s a category for every project — so there’s no excuse for not entering your best work. And, your award submission can serve as a stepping stone for the CAE course requirements.
| Category 1: Optimize Governance | Ensure effective and efficient governance structure Contribute to the effectiveness of the board and committees Lead development of a strategic plan Advise the board on issues requiring their input Develop a risk management strategy Examples could include: board orientation programs, creation of a new strategic plan, managing a governance review, managing a strategic planning process with member and community engagement, an engagement process to create a new vision for an organization. |
| Category 2: Establish Direction | Analyse current financial state of the organization Develop a long-term business strategy Develop annual business plan Develop and maintain brand reputation Develop partnerships to achieve organization objectives Examples could include: creation of a new annual operating/business planning process, a government relations or public education campaign, management of a major external issue or crisis, launch of a new partnership. |
| Category 3: Lead People | Evaluate human resource requirements Recruit staff and volunteers Onboard staff and volunteers Establish staff and volunteer codes of conduct Manage individual performance Manage teams Manage change Conduct ongoing personal leadership development Examples could include: implementation of a new staff performance review program, creation of a new learning program for association staff, launch of a new HR program that supports strategic goals, recruitment and orientation of a new executive director. |
| Category 4: Manage Operations | Manage day-to-day financials Manage an annual external financial audit or review engagement Manage facilities Manage equipment Manage technology Develop operational practices Examples could include: research and implementation of new software system, building of a new facility, resolution of legal issue, or implementation of a new website, AMS or other technology. |
| Category 5: Deliver Value | Collect evidence-based data Identify needs of segments Conduct continuous improvement of organizational offerings Examples could include: a social media campaign, capital fundraising campaign, new member orientation event, launch of a training program, product/service marketing campaigns, management of educational/training programs, creation of a new program/product/service, member research projects, member segmentation strategies/structures. |
Note: Only two (2) submissions per organization can be entered. Entrants may submit their entries in the same category and/or across multiple categories provided that the work plan is tailored to fit the category description.
How to Enter
- Think of all the great projects you’ve successfully completed within the eligible time frame. Pick the best ones that might be unique, and/or include robust measurement of your success. Or, think about ongoing programs with a real track record, or initiatives other associations can learn from, or ones you’re most proud of.
- Carefully review the resource submission guide and resource submission quick list.
- Complete the video presentation using this slide deck template.
- Pull together digital versions of your supplemental materials that best showcase the project and are proof-points for your video presentation. These can include: website or blog screen shots, publications, advertisements, speeches, sample media articles, training materials etc. If applicable, include the relevant URLs and/or passwords for websites or other online platforms within your work plan or supplemental materials for judges to view live at judging time. Note: there is no limit on the number of supplemental materials, but less is more. Think 1-6 per entry maximum.
- Review the Marks of a Winner evaluation guidelines to better understand what judges are looking for in each section and how to score extra marks.
- Follow the steps here to submit the video presentation and supplemental materials.
CAE® Continuous Professional Development (CPD): Credit is granted to the nominator for a complete award’s application. Awards of Distinction, based on 1 hour per complete award nomination (maximum 4 hours per two-year reporting period).
Selection
The confidential selection process is conducted by independent CSAE volunteers and their decision is final.
Judges / Evaluators Needed
If you’re a member with your CAE certification and/or a senior member looking to give back to your profession and association, why not become an evaluator for this new awards program? It’s a chance to network with other senior members, to look behind-the-scenes at work of your colleagues, and to share your wisdom and experience to elevate the work of your colleagues. Interested individuals should contact info@csae.com to find out more.
Past Recipients
Congratulations to all 2021 Awards of Distinction recipients. Associations have done some exceptional work over the past two years!
2021 Recipients
Award of Excellence
- The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA): Discover APEGA Microsite
- Canadian Rheumatology Association: COVID-19 Response Series
- Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium: CUTRIC’s Pan-Canadian Battery Electric Bus Demonstration & Integration Trial
- CREB® REALTOR® Community Foundation: CREB®’s Community Investment Rubric
- Hotel Association of Canada: In It Together – Surviving the COVID-19 Crisis
- National Golf Course Owners Association of Canada: COVID-19 Response Plan
- NSAR: Certified International Property Specialist Education Program
- Ontario Bar Association: OBA COVID-19 Response: Virtual Justice
- RisingOaks Early Learning Ontario: From Owl Child Care to RisingOaks Early Learning Ontario: A brand transition case study
- Supply Chain Canada, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northern Territories Institutes: Collaboration: The Missing Piece to Bridging the Gap
Award of Merit
- Canadian Corporate Counsel Association: Delivering Valuable Virtual Sponsor Benefits
- International Alliance of ALS MND Associations: Policy Manual Development
- Ontario Bar Association: OBA COVID-19 Response: Wellness Support
- Tire and Rubber Association of Canada: The Tire and Rubber Association Kicks Off 2021 With a New Website
2019 Recipients
Award of Excellence
- Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists: The CSRT Infrastructure Renewal Initiative.
- Canadian Housing and Renewal Association: Housing Professional Mentorship Program.
- Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association: DVBIA’s Mandate Renewal Engagement Strategy.
- Fisheries Council of Canada: Development of a New Annual Budget and Work Plan.
- Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting: Optimize Governance – Strategic Plan.
- Intellectual Property Institute of Canada: IPIC’s IP Awareness Campaign.
Award of Merit
- The Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science: Formalization and Scaling-Up of the Research and Special Initiatives Department.
- Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association: DVBIA’s Clean Team Program.
- Speech-Language & Audiology Canada: The SAC Audiology Event.
- Fertilizer Canada: Welcome to Fertilizer Canada!
2018 Recipients
Award of Excellence
- Canadian Physiotherapy Association: Member Services Onboarding project.
- Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science: National Initiative to Increase the Supply of Medical Laboratory Technologists in Canada.
- Canadian Dental Hygienists Association: Dental Hygienist Superhero Competition Campaign.
- Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS®: Member Engagement Program.
Award of Merit
- Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS®: Government Relations Program.
2017 Recipients
Award of Excellence
- The Canadian Payroll Association: e-T4 and e-RL-1 Advocacy Accomplishment
- Real Estate Institute of Canada: Home Study Promotional Campaign: Power to Connect Vision Paper
- Electricity Distributors Association: Power to Connect Vision Paper
Award of Merit
- The Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science: Mental Health Toolkit
- Canadian Physiotherapy Association:#30REPS: A Reputational Risk Education and Awareness Campaign
2016 Recipients
Award of Excellence
- Canadian Franchise Association: Franchise Awareness Day on Parliament Hill
- Canadian Housing and Renewal Association: Housing for All campaign
- Electricity Distributors Association: Fraud Prevention Campaign
- Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS®: Government Relations Program
Award of Merit
- Association of Ontario Midwives: Government Relations Program to Expand Funding for Aboriginal Midwifery
- The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta: Redevelopment of the APEGA Website
- Canadian Chiropractors Association: BACK Matters Magazine
- Canadian Physiotherapy Association: Career Path initiative
- Ontario Community Support Association: Quality Advantage program
- Ontario Road Builders’ Association: Site Unseen campaign
- Supply Chain Management Association: National Live Student Case Competition
- Supply Chain Management Association: Transition to a Competency-Based Board of Directors
- Tea Association of Canada: TEA SOMMELIER® certification program
- Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS®: Social Media Plan
- Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS®: Trusted Guide Campaign
- Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon: The Business Case for Greater Government Investment in Tourism Marketing
